Does anyone know if the wylex 3-way consumer unit Cat No 304 has replaceable fuses? If it has could someone please explain how to remove and replace the fuse as I would dearly love to restore light to my house.
I've tried removing one of the three components from the consumer board but it is jam tight also there is a small lug on the top right hand edge which could possibly be hindering or preventing removal from the unit. What are the other possibilities, could it be burnt out and melted -there is no visible sign of this nor does it smell. Or could it be that it is not removable incidentally it is marked on the front face with the info B32 32/A. I am however hoping that this is carrying the correct fuse or fuse wire as this was protecting the lighting circuits and was fitted by a supposed qualified electrician but was contracted to the job by the dreaded Moben kitchens.
It would be very unusual to find a lighting circuit wired in cable heavy enough for a 32 amp breaker! It should be five or six amps. And that's another thing. Are you sure the gizmo you're trying to pull out hasn't got a switch of some sort on it?
If there's no 5/6 amp fuse/breaker in that box, your lights might be fed by a fused connection unit on the ring main. This is legitimate so don't go lynching any Moben fitters yet. Look for something the size and shape of a light switch but with a fuse holder where the switch should be. It could be hiding almost anywhere.
One last time-can anyone out there please instruct me on removing cartridges from the wylex consumer unit.The one I ahave tried to remove seems to be stuck fast. Do they tend to become tightly fixed after time.Does anything else have to be removed from the consumer unit prior to removing cartridges.
Some times the fuses are tight and stick fast.
This is if they are of the rewirable variety.
Lighting fuse is generally the one that has 2 white dots on it,marked 5amp
Have you lost power to your sockets as well as the lights?
Sockets are protected by a 30amp fuse this has 2 red dots on it as well.
If they are mcbs there should be a leaver/ switch on the front that you push up to restore power,no need to remove .
Some have a button that you have to press in to restore the power,so that it is flush with the rest of the mcb.
If you really want to remove the mcb/ fuse from it's carrier.
Turn off fuse board first for safety
The LIVE /PHASE electric connection to the fuse is on the bottom in wylex boards.
one way to remove them is to prise them out using a flat tipped screw driver.
Insert the flat tip between the fuse and it's holder gently apply pressure to force it out whilst pulling on the fuse at the same time.
Be careful
I agree with felix with regarding the fusing of your lighting though.
You have removed the fuse cover that fits over the 3 fuses? Sometimes this has the fron removed to make way for MCB's. If you have this in place still, grabing the fuses will be tricky to say the least.
The old 3036 re-wirables to get sticky, but if the kitchen guy had it out, it should come easily.
Take a photo, and post it here for us to see. If your not sure how to post a pic, we can show ya.
Update for all you good people out there trying to restore light to our home on this very dark Easter holiday.
1; the three fuse like gizmos are identical in appearance markings and colour (white) all three bear the same inscription ie B32 32/A
2;All three have a switch on the front and the one I have been trying to remove was in the downward position -the other two marked cooker and shower respectively were in the up position. Thus this was the odd one out in terms of switch position leading me to the conlusion that this was the offending gizmo.
3;The consumer board was fited by the Moben kitchen electrician or supposed electrician.
4;Indeed the front cover is missing which until your last comments I just put down to very sloppy workmanship on the part of Moben.
5;I put the switch into the upward position as my opening gambit but this as made no difference ie no lighting restored
Continuation of summary from last posting
6;All power sockets are fine so at night We have reading lamps to light our way
7;My worst nightmare now is that the clot from Moben(allegedly) has wired my lighting to a 32 amp fuse and that this as possibly burnt out all my lighting circuits as a result of a fault (a light bulb expiring according to my wife)
8;I don't have a clue how to post a photo and I don't have a digital camera ,however if required I could make a detailed drawing and scan this into my computer-could you then explain how I post the image.
9;If the gizmo turns out to be an mcb and lifting the switch to the upper position does nothing,can there be a less sinister reason why my lighting has not been restored
10; If it turns out to be an mcb which I now favour as the strongest possibility my guess would be that either the lighting circuit has been burnt out or that the lighting fuse is elsewhere (hav'nt the foggiest where) and that this gizmo (mcb possibly) is a spare.
11; If this is an mcb it should still be removable should'nt it?
12; Could it simply be a dodgy mcb
[quoteIf there's no 5/6 amp fuse/breaker in that box, your lights might be fed by a fused connection unit on the ring main. This is legitimate so don't go lynching any Moben fitters yet. Look for something the size and shape of a light switch but with a fuse holder where the switch should be. It could be hiding almost anywhere. ]
Is this the only fuse board in your house?
When the lights first went out did you notice if your sockets went out as well?
Re setting the mcb would have livened up your sockets but not your lights.
As felix already said it could be fed from switch fuse,or an unswitched fuse which could be next to a socket ,they are the same size as your light switches,but will have a little fuse holder which normally sits flush with the plate and has either a screw holding it in place,or there is a small slot to one side that a tip of a flat screw driver can be inserted to prise the fuse holder out.
The switch fuse has a switch to one side of the fuse holder.
This fuse should be marked 5 amps.
This would have blown as well as the mcb, hence your sockets work but not your lights when you reset the mcb.
11; If this is an mcb it should still be removable shouldn't it?/quote]
Yes and no. Yes they're removable but not without pulling your consumer unit to pieces!
The idea behind MCB's is that 99.9% of the time you don't need to remove them. With a fuse the wire burns out. You remove the fuse carrier and replace either the wire or a cartridge. With an MCB it simply switches itself off (down in your case). All you have to do is switch it back on again - unless the fault is still present in which case it won't let you.
Please stop trying to get that thing out. At best you'll break it and at worst it'll throw you across the room! Since switching it on hasn't restored your lights there must be another fuse in the line somewhere. I'm afraid you'll just have to find it.
PS: If a thorough search reveals no more fuses and the lighting cable really has burnt out - though somehow I just don't believe this is possible - THEN you can ring up Moben and give them hell. Be sure to include the words lights, fuses and Watchdog!
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below,
or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Please select a service and enter a location to continue...
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
